


Odyssey - the future is here

by Lil_Scarlet



Category: Free!
Genre: Military, Multi, Slice of Life, Sports
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-08-29 01:11:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8469970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_Scarlet/pseuds/Lil_Scarlet
Summary: Pools...Pools are a strange thing. A bunch of water forced into an artificial form by man. Tempered, chlored, tamed...dead. There is nothing left of it. No stream, no tide, no life.A pool is nothing! Nothing, but a mere puddle compared to the perfection of the ocean, the beauty of the sea itself..."I hate pools…" -The memory of someone Rin Matsuoka held very dear during his stay at Australia.This Story is about one simple thing: Life. Life isn't easy and it usually doesn't go de way you want it to. But there is nothing more beautiful and nothing more precious and valuable than life.Some of us are able to acknowledge this simple truth very easily, some of us just need some time to figure it out, some will discover it too late and some never will.-And sometimes... Well, let's say...There are some people, who've just got to learn it the hard way.Five years have past since their eternal summer - And life has changed a lot.theme song: ODYSSEY by Miyavi





	1. Prologue

A shy knocking. “Yes, come in.“

“The bus is here”, someone said through the door.

“I’m right there!” The Notebook was put back into the olive-green backpack. The remaining luggage was already brought off the ship.

On the upper deck one had a wonderful view over the harbour with its countless grey ships from international waters. It was a sunny autumn day in Yokosuka.

So this is it. Japan.

 

White seabirds were gliding shrieking through the stiff sea breeze. Some of them plunged into the water to fly away with their bait afterwards or swallowing it right where they were. The smell of sea grass and burnt fuel tickled the nose. It was a quite familiar situation, a familiar view. A bit just like home.

One deck below the stelling led downwards to the pier, where a green bus was waiting with running engine. Four comrades were waiting right in front of the stelling. „There you are! Hurry!“

„Easy!“ The sign into the book of shore leave followed by the obligatory flag salute. A long thrilling whistle accompanied the Officer downwards the stelling. „We’re good to go?“

„The sooner, the better. It’s going to be a bloody eight-hour-ride after all.”

A sigh. “Deary… is everyone here?”

“Yup, you’re last again.” The comrade smiled and hopped onto the bus.

„Last, but not least! Hop on guys.“

The driver closed the doors and went off. „Again, why did we not just enter port Mizuru?”

“Quit whining, will ya? And by the way, it’s Maizuru.” Some laughed.

“Whatever. How am I supposed to survive this trip?” He theatrically pulled his green beret into his face.

He received a clout from the one sitting behind him. „Stop annoying the lieutenant right before we even got there.“

“Well, you are free to ride on the other side of the exterior shell then.” A sarcastic smile.

“Hey! I know something! Who knows a bad joke?” Whistles and boos showed the disliking of the idea. „What’s wrong with you guys?!“

„Probably the lieutenant knows one?“, one sitting in the last row asked, followed by the approval of his comrades.  „Yeah! Lieutenant, tell a joke!“

„I do not know any bloody jokes.“

“Nah!” “C’mon, Lieutenant!” “Just one.” “Tell a joke.” “Pretty please?!”

“Allright, ya idiots! I’ll tell a joke, but it’s pretty bad.”

“Anyway, tell it.”

“Fine… Two friends meet after some time. One tells the other:’Hey, ya know, yesterday someone threw some cheese at me.’ And then the other one says:’Ey, man, that’s mature.’”

They burst out laughing.

„Didn’t see that coming. Tell another one!“

„No.“

„C’mon!“

„I won’t.“

„Please, Lieutenant.“

„Ok, but it’s a knock-knock-joke. So you need’ a reply, Wessels.”  The Officer talked to the favorite pain in the neck.

“ ’course.”

“Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Boo.”

“Boo who?”

“Aww, don’t cry!”

Loud laughing from the last rows. One bopped Wessels in his side. „Right in your face, man!“

„Good one, lieutenant!“

„So could we please have some peace in here? Day’s gonna be long enough.”

“Yes, Ma’am!”

 


	2. Maizuru-College swim club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear reader,  
> I am currently searching for a beta-reader since my english skills aren't perfect yet.  
> So, if you like my story and you would like to help me out in this matter, please contact me.  
> I would be glad, to hear/read from you soon.

Samezuka Gakuen. The stone building with the high archway looked just like in the description.

This must bei it.

 

„What do you mean, closed? “ Aiichiro Nitori stared uncomprehendingly at the high school president.

„Unfortunately the maintenance can’t be delayed any further and it is more than necessary.“, he replied and focused back to his documents.

„But it won’t be during the whole winter, will it?“ He really hoped this was not true.

„Nitori-kun, you really campaign as a captain for your swimming club. But we have no choice. The whole indoor pool has to be renewed and the pipe systems are in desperate need of maintenance.“

This couldn‘t be true.

„You will get the possibility for exterior training.“ Nitori stopped in his thoughts. “But, where? Public pools were usually overcrowded. There was no thinking about serious training, not to speak about preparing for the competitions. „The naval base command Maizuru has declared their support. It’s just a 25-meter-run, but it will have to do.“ The president pulled out a thin folder from under his desk and passed it to the young man in front of him. „In here are all the documents you’ll need. I suggest, you call the appointment in charge and talk about your training schedule. A Bus shuttle will be provided for you.“ Ai opened the folder and quickly thumbed through the documents. He bowed moderately. „Arigatou gozaimasu!“

„You may leave.“

As he went back to the club meeting,  Nitori felt a bit queasy. He has never been to a casern before, nor has he had any business with the military so far. What would the others might be saying?

 

„Sumimasen, I don’t know anybody with that name. Please wait a sec.“ The young man went back into the pool hall. „Hey, Serizawa-senpai! Do you know anyone named Matsuoka?“

„Sure! Matsuoka Rin. He’s been team captain five years ago.”

 

The bus stopped at the gate. Nitori asked for attention. „We arrived. I’d like to remind you, that we are going to proceed into a casern, and that the possibility for training here is not self-evident. I expect a decent behavior. Got that?“

„Hai!“

„Good. Everyone out and assemble.“

The Team members took their bags and calmly exited the bus.

„Ai-chan, aren’t you nervous?“, Nagisa asked.

„Of course I’m nervous!“

Both arrived by surprise at the same college in Maizuru and of course they joined the swimming club immediately. Right now they were in the second to last year of college.

Ai had an undeniable blush on his cheeks, but he was anxious not to show his nervousness as he approached one of the Soldiers at the Gate.

He bowed. „Sumimasen! We are the announced swim club of the Maizuru-College.“

The watch man wrinkled his nose and addressed his comrade who checked the bus with his tracking dog. Both of them wore uniforms and were armed with a rifle.

„Ya know somethin‘ bot an external swimmin‘ club?“

The other one just shaked his head and continued searching the vehicle.

„Here are the documents.“ Nitori passed the folder to the soldier. But he wanted to have none of it. „Your club isn’t announced. We can’t let you pass.“

Aiichiro Nitori wished for a deep hole in the ground under his feet, so he could disappear right that instant. Even though he made calls and arranged everything. How embarassing! What was he supposed to do now?

„Demo…“

„Is there a problem?!“ A harsh female voice with a particular accent interrupted him. As he looked up, he saw a young woman exiting the guard room and heading towards them. She also wore a uniform but different to the ones, the soldiers at the gate wore. She definitely wasn’t Japanese either. The soldier saluted her immediately. She returned the salute, again in a different way. „Chui*! We have no application for this group.“, he explained shortly.

The woman skeptically looked the group of swimmers who had assembled next to the guardroom and suddenly addressed Nitori.

Chui? This meant her to be an Officer. She wore a white peaked cap, a short-sleeved shirt and white pants with creases. Her skin in contrast had a light tone of cinnamon. On her belt she wore a black holster with a pistol in it and around her shoulder a golden cord was wrapped. Beforehand he had gathered information about military ranks, so he wouldn’t mess up. But the golden insignia on her shoulder were unknown to him. Right now, with her standing right in front of him, he was able to read her bilingual name plate written in English and Kanji: ‚Harrington‘

„You are the swim club of the resident college, I presume?“ As she spoke there was nothing of the harsh tone she used with the soldier before. She was speaking calmly and gently.

Ai bowed nervously and handed her the folder. „Hai, Chui-sama.“ She looked up surprisedly. „Sama…?“ she smiled. Suddenly her attention was attracted by his teammates standing behind him. „Is your comrade not feeling well?“ As he turned around Ai had to realize, that Momotaros face has turned entirely red and Nagisa was trying to hold him by his elbow while innocently smiling and weaving at them. Nitori could have sworn to see little steam clouds bursting out of Momo’s nose. „N- Nandemonai“, he said quickly to regain the officer’s attention. „He’s just choking on something.“

„Fine then…“, she mumbled in English and thumbed through the documents. „I’ll make a copy, if that’s all right?“

„Of course!“

She approached the soldier at the gate in the same harsh way, as she did before: “Soldier!“

„Hai!“

„Execute an ID-Card exchange for these gentlemen.“

„Hai!“ The soldier hurried to the guard room.

„This won’t happen again.“, she assumed emphatically at the soldier.

"You and your comrades are required to exchange your ID for a visitors pass. Take good care o fit. You’re not allowed in this area without it.“

Aiichiro nodded and watched her leaving to the guard room.

„Haiaku!“, he commanded his fellow teammates. „Line up and hand in your ID!“

 

„Everything’s fine.“ She said, as she returned the folder. „Please execute the ID-Exchange by yourselves next time. The Pool should be open. Good luck with your training.“ She smiled friendly.

Nitori bowed as gracefully as possible due to his nervousness. „Arigatou gozaimasu.“

„Let them pass!“ the soldier opened the bar.

 

This boy indeed was incredibly nervous.

Chui-sama, she thought and nearly laughed. Cute.

 

This training session reached ist end and Nitori’s comrades swam their last runs for cooling down, while he made some notes in his pocketbook. There was no competition pool here. On this side of the hall was a diving platform with the highest point at ten meters. The pool was accordingly deep at this side, but that didn’t disturb them. In the contrary, they loved jumping from the three-meter-platform for the warmup.

„What on earth is goin’ on in here!?“

Everyone who wasn’t swimming stared at the man who just entered the hall. He wore tight black swim shorts and a dark blue towel with golden pattern was hanging over his shoulder. He was tall and in great shape. His light brown hair was shaved short and a moko-tattoo spread over his right chest, shoulder and upper arm. He was followed by three other young men, all wearing the same swim-shorts and having the same kind of towel with them.

„That must be the swim club, I guess.“, the wiry black-haired one said, who entered secondly. His hair was cut short at the sides and the longer upper part curled itself in locks. His piercing green eyes seemed to impale the poor Aiichiro across the whole twenty-five meters between them. The third one was carrying a plastic box which obviously contained some diving equipment. His light hair was also cut very short. „Yup, that’s them!“, he said.

„Don’t you remember the Lieutenant to tell you to speak in Japanese?!“, the last one scolded his mates and unaffectedly approached Nitori. His body was also in top shape and he was nearly two heads taller than him. Those four , like the officer at the gate, weren’t Japanese either. „Are you the team captain here? “, he asked in neat Japanese but with an horrible accent.

Aiichiro swallowed and nodded. The young soldier smiled and presented his right hand. „Hi, Joe Cordes“, he introduced himself. „Nice to meet you.“

A bit confused Ai gripped his hand for a short shake. „Nitori Aiichiro. Yoroshiku Onegaiishimazu.“

„Our instruction happens to be in here right after your training. Would you mind, if we’d join you for our warm-up?“ Joe pointed at the pool. The college student shaked his head. „Douzo,douzo!“

Joe smiled and addressed his comrades. „Hey! Get in the fuckin’ pool!“

Aiichiro Nitori and his team mates would long remember what happened next. All four of them laid their towels aside and took their marks on the starting blocks right next to each other. The tattooed one geve the signal. During the Jump, they almost covered a third of the lane and dived through a hundred meter run at remarkable speed.The black-haired finished first by touching the wall of the pool and came through the surface. He calmly stood up –not as expected with heavy breathing. He leant his arms against the rim of the pool and breathed calmly, as if he had just jogged a few hundred meters. The others were barely inferior to him.

„Sugoi…“, the teammates whispered.

„What is it?! Don’t you know, staring is rude?!“, the soldier hissed as he became aware of the curious looks.

„G-Gomenasai!“, Nitori spluttered.

„Hey Luke, you can complain in Japanese too!“ The one with the tattoo smirked. „Just don’t mind him. He’s always like this.“

„You are to swim, you fishwifes!“ The man’s voice who just had entered the hall was like a loud thunder.

„Yes, Sir!“ The men in the water continued with their warm-up-program. 

He was older than the other comrades, which was shown by his short white hair and his weather-beaten skin. In contrast to his comrades he wore a camouflaged overall paired with flip-flops instead of swim-shorts. Nitori was also unfamiliar with his rank. The old soldier checked his notes, afterwards the time. Then he fixated the group of students, who were occupied watching his men swimming. The look of his steel-blue eyes was stiff.  „Boys, your Time is up.“ He pointed at the clock.

Nitori bowed and apologized, bevore he shooed his Team outside.

 

The bar opened at the gate and the bus proceeded outside the base. Momotaro removed his nose from the window and sank back into his seat.

„What were you looking for?“, Ai asked.

„Surely he was looking fort he cute officer“, Nagisa, who was sitting next to Momo, grinned. “Not?“

„Kawaii ne…“, the redhead sighed with the usual moronic expression on his face, when he had seen an attraktive woman.

Nagisa giggled end bend over to Ai. „He was so jealous that you stood in the front so you could talk to her.“

Suddenly Momo arised from his delirium and reached over boisterously to his bucho. „How was she?!“

„She was friendly…“ He didn‘ know what to say.

Momo sighed. „Don’t make me drag it all out of you! What colour were her eyes? I couldn’t see it!“

„Very dark..brown, I think…“

„What about her hair? How long was it?“

„No idea! She had an updo! Stop pumping me for information, Momo!“

Sighing he pushed himself back into the seat and watched the landscape go by.

„What about her name?“

„Shut up, Momo!“

„Mooo.“

 

At the naval base the college swim club trained three times a week. On two days of these, they met the soldiers and started to get to like each other very soon. They were a total of ten, but the chief-instructor usually didn’t join their warm-up. That’s probably, why they never met him before. They built up teams of five in different combinations for their training at the pool hall. Some of them came early on purpose, so they could chatter and do the warm up, respectively the cool down together. Some of them were the same age as the students themselves. They came from England, from the Royal Marine Corps and worked –due to the town twinning with Portsmouth-  as instructors for the recruits of the special forces of the Kaijo Jieitai - the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force.

„Do you think, it would be possible to watch one of your trainings? Uh… I mean instruction?“  Nagisa bend over to see better from the row he was sitting in.

„Dunno.“ Maurice looked at his comrades. He was the one with the impressing moko-tatoo on his chest. Mostly he was called AshB. – a short form of his last name: Ashburn. „Eric, you think that might work?“

He shruged his shoulders. „Why not?“

„The lieutenant’s gonna kill ya.“ Kruger was one of the highest ranked out of the group beside Steve Touchings, who was the eldest at the same time. The soldiers pronounced the rank of their superior not like ‚Lutennend‘, but ‚Leftennend‘. It was the british way, they were told.

„Horseshit, Martin! Why shoult there be trouble?“ Eric shaked his head in disbelief.  Eric Wessels was the joker out of the group. He was a bragger and took every opportunity for a bad joke. “Dougall, what do you think? I’m positive.“

„It is MAC Dougall!“ Jean continuously complained that the prefix of his name was beeing cut off. He also demanded to be called scot instead of brit. “Got nuthin’ to object. But you should get the official go first.“

„So next time you just stay a bit longer?“, AshB suggested.

Nitori nodded. He and his mates were thinking about this for quite some time. Those soldiers were in incredible shape and moved in the water as if they had never done anything else in their entire life. They were sure, that they could learn a lot from them. The bigger was the joy, as the comrades showed their approval of the idea.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear reader,  
> I am currently searching for a beta-reader since my english skills aren't perfect yet.  
> So, if you like my story and you would like to help me out in this matter, please contact me.  
> I would be glad, to hear/read from you soon.

Finally the time had come. Joe and AshB had instructed Nitori and his team how they behaved properly in the chief instructor’s presence. They were not to act like soldiers but it was required to take up a stance and answer the greeting together with the recruits.

Now they were standing on the head side of the pool two meters next to the recruits, waiting. Joe Cordes, Eric Wessels and Luke Saulsbury were standing in a right angle towards the formation in a straight line. Alan Bolton stood in the front. He was a bit smaller than his British comrades and he wore a significant goatee. It curled itself up at the corners of his mouth and the rest was cut down to less than a centimetre. His Body was covered in artistic tattoos with maritime themes.

The pool hall was covered in silence until the sound of the access door launched a knock-on effect. Alan faced his comrades and started the military ritual. „Company attention!“ Everyone stood to attention. „Eyes right!“ On the command all heads turned towards the door the officer was coming through that moment. Aiichiro had to blink a few times until he recognized the woman in the white uniform. Contrary to last time the golden cord and the holster on the belt was missing. She also wasn’t wearing her cap. With a bashed- up clipboard in her hand she approached Alan, saluted and received the report. „Chui, Corporal Bolton reporting group 21 and the Maizuru-College- swim club assembled completely.“

A slight twitch of the eyebrow. „Remarkable… You may step back, Corporal.“

„Yes, Ma’am!“ Bolton made a sharp turn and took his position next to his comrades. Until then the officer waited, still with her fingertips on the curve of her eyebrow. „Good afternoon, gentlemen!“

„Connichi wa, Chui!“ The greeting from the division was resonating a few heartbeats before she proceeded. „At ease!“ The recruits relaxed a bit and shifted to a more comfortable position. First lieutenant Harrington pulled out the clipboard and opened the taped cover. „Hirakawa, Miyano, to the front!“ The named comrades stepped forward. „You’re in charge for the warm-up.“ She saluted again „Execute.“

They returned the salute. „Hai!“ They took over the troops and let them line up at the Pool for a quick warm-up. Until now she had completely ignored the college team and their captain wasn’t daring to do anything about it.

„Instructors at my side!“ The four Brits approached the officer who discretely conducted them aside. „What are these guys still doin‘ here?“, she asked.

Bolton furrowed his brows. „I thought, you know.“

„I obviously don’t know. So would you kindly explain, what the bloody hell is goin‘ on?!“

“They politely asked, if they could watch one of our exercises”, Cordes finally explained.

“Really? … And who of you darlings was supposed to inform me?”

“Sorry, Eve. We wanted to tell you…” AshB cracked an apologetic smile.

“But…?”

“Well…”

The Officer rubbed her hand over her face. I’m surrounded by idiots.

„You could still send them away”, Luke stated. “I don’t think they wanted to offend you by inviting them.”

Eve Harrington gazed at her comrade. „There is no ‘They‘, honey pop. Remember that. And since you have already agreed, it would be quite rude to send those boys away right now.” She turned to Alan. “Get ready. I think, I should introduce myself.”

Eve dismissed her instructors and approached her guests.

“Connichi wa. I am First Lieutenant Harrington, 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group, Royal Marine Corps Plymouth.” She spoke loudly and clearly in a stiff tone. „I suppose, all of you are already aware of our task here. Group 21, who you’ve recently met, started their first indoor-phase today. Therefore, this part of the training is new for all of you. Firstly there will be a rating of performance, afterwards we will start with the endurance training. I expect discipline and obedience towards me and the other instructors. Is that understood?“

„Hai!“ The team chorused.

This might work out quite well…

“Splendid. Who’s your team-captain?”

„Here!“ Ai stepped forward and bowed. „Nitori Aiichiro. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.“

„We already became acquainted with each other, didn’t we Nitori-kun?“

„Hai, Chui-sama.“

Yes, she remembered this little bag of nerves quite well.

She sighed. „It is completely fine, if you approach me solely with my rank.“ Aiichiro looked surprised. „Now, get your team out of the way, so we can get started.“

Thereupon Ai bowed again and commanded his teammates aside to the benches standing alongside the hall.

Luke Saulsbury put two fingers to his lips and whistled stridently. The twenty recruits left the water and lined up alongside the pool.

“For the rating, you will split up to four starting blocks!”

Alan sat already in his neoprene suit on the rim of the pool, playing with his fins under the water looking extremely bored. His regulator was leant against the free starting block next to him, just in case.

A hundred meters should be done at best performance. Next to each block one of the instructors was standing to take the time of the recruits. One of them was Lieutenant Harrington. They simply took the times one after the other and made some notes. Afterwards they had to dive as far as they could, hold their breath as long as they could, jump from the five-meter-platform and fetch two weights from the deep side of the pool. The whole time they were watched meticulously – recruits and instructors alike.

During the performance test, Nagisa Hazuki had the time to muster the instructors, for he sat nearest to the starting blocks. All of them had a lot of scars on their skin, which were of different age and origin. The men mostly had cuts or longer reddish lines which might be surgery scars. Some of them also were round or spreading like some weird kind of stars. AshB had covered a heavy burning with his moko-tattoo. Alan had done the same, but Nagisa wasn’t able to see it due to the neoprene suit he was currently wearing.

The chief instructor’s white uniform only allowed a look at the neck and the forearms. Her right Eyebrow was cut in a half by a scar at the root of her nose. On one wrist the skin looked a bit uneven, probably a burning too. As she hunkered down to talk to one of the recruits in the pool he thought to see a bigger scarred area on her ankle.

The Japanese soldiers already looked exhausted when they were ordered to leave the water again.

The Lieutenant stepped forward. „Gentlemen, I’m going to be honest with you.“ She started. „Your results are devastating. Some of you barely passed the minimum requirement, with the rest of you in no better position.” She started to walk up and down the front. The other instructors held themselves in the background and seemed to be looking forward to what would come next.

„I’m going to tell you the same thing I told the group before. Those, by the way, were also as bad as you are. Look to the left.“ They did. „And now to the right. One of you will be gone before the next two weeks are over.” The insecurity of the soldiers was nearly tangible. The officer continued walking. The sound of her heels echoed balefully. „The basics are already in your heads. We are here to make sure they stay there and you know how to use them. What I’m trying to say…” Out of a sudden she switched character and a dark aura occurred around her. “Courtesy and politeness are over. Aches, pains and complaints will be shoved up your asses. Be assured that there won’t be any special treatments. We are going to flay you until you’ll be shitless and on your last legs. Your Instructors might be hard but they are fair. If you survive this training, you’ll be elite. Then you’ll belong to the best of the best. But until that day you are nothing, you hear me? You are pukes, the lowest lifeform on this rotten earth. You are nothing but damned pieces of shit. Is that understood?!”

„Yes, Ma’am.“ 

She squinched up her face. „I have asked you a question!“, she blared.

„Yes, Ma’am!“ 

„Bullshit! Can’t hear a thing! Already lost your balls in the water?!“

„YES, MA’AM!“ 

„There you go.“ She had switched out of the drill sergeant- mode as quickly as she had switched into it and positioned herself up front again. „Now I’m going to hand you all over to the caring hands of my instructors.“

She saluted. „Company Attention!“ Then she faced her comrades. „Instructors, take over.“ They answered the salute and took over the troops as ordered. The officer stepped back to go through the notes they made during the performance test.

Nagisa shook Momotaro’s shoulder. „Hey Momo, are you all right?“ The redhead had turned pale and sat in shock from which he seemed to wake very slowly. “Momo?”

During the chief-instructors speech a horrible feeling had ran down his spine. It felt extremely scary. He turned round and hugged his teammate „Kohai yo, Nagisa-senpai!“

His teammates muted him immediately. None of them wanted to get in trouble after this speech.

Meanwhile Cordes was explaining the next exercise. „Now, we’ll start with the endurance training. You will stand alongside the pool and on command you are to jump in, dive across and get out on the other side, where you’ll do different exercises.“

For demonstration, his three comrades had lined up on the other side of the pool waiting for Joe’s command. Alan was still wearing his neoprene suit but got rid of his fins. Joe whistled and they did, as it was explained. Out of the pool they made push-ups until Joe whistled again and they jumped back into the water. “And so on.” He ended the demonstration. “The following exercise will be done with clothing. Those are in the box over there. Execute.”

The clothing he was talking about were linen shirts and trousers which could be adjusted around the hips with a simple cord. Afterwards the training started again and the hall was filled with splashing noises, whistles and the instructors’ yelling, who obviously tried to rush the recruits to their death. „And what for fuck’s sake is wrong with you?“ Nitori bounced up as the chief-instructor suddenly stood right next to him. “That’s not a circus here.” She said and pointed at the pool. „Come on! You’re not here just for the fun of it!“

Aiichiro insecurely looked up at her under his silver shock of hair. Why did she have to be taller than him?! He wasn’t able to answer. His team was already in the water with the next whistle. The captain rushed after them.

At first the instructors left them alone, but the moment Joe started yelling at one of the students they became part of the exercise.

Those guys are in pretty good shape, the chief-instructor thought.

The boys kept up very well but after some time Eve noticed their strength to leave them. She hunkered down next to the team captain who was completely caught up in his push-ups and gently grabbed his shoulder. Her hand felt unnaturally cold. „Nitori-kun, I think that’s enough for today. You already had three hours of training beforehand.“ She said softly with the trace of a smile on her lips.

„It’s ok.” He gasped embarrassed that he couldn’t catch his breath.

The scarred eyebrow twitched. „I see you are all motivated but that was not an option.“

Nitori nodded. He had understood.

The recruits were granted a short break to drink something whilst the swim club took their leave in thanks.

 

“Why did you do that?“ Luke asked. They were sitting in their recreation room of their building drinking tea and coffee as always.

„Did I do what?“ Eve sipped her green tea.

“Make them join.” Alan completed the question.

She put the cup on the table and bore her chin into her hand. „Well, I have the opinion our work is not at all a spectacle made to entertain people. Lots of things look easy until you try it yourself. Simply letting them watch the exercise would have been of no use. Neither for them nor for us. But right now we have only two options. Either they won’t ask to join us again or we are going to see them next week for another joint practice.“

Luke snorted and filled his cup again with coffee. „That’s not our job, ya know.“

“Probably. But it might help.” She smiled what tripped Luke up completely at that moment.

„What do you mean by that?!“

Cordes took the thermos-pot and shook it to check the content volume. There was probably a bit more than half a cup left in it. „Hey, Luke! Last one makes the next.“ He shuffled the pot back to his comrade who went to the coffee machine while mumbling most creative insults.

„Now that you’re sayin‘ it… It might motivate the recruits like in a competitive way.”

“Now, you’ve got me, ladies.” Leaning back the officer reached for her cup but AshB was faster and emptied the cup right in front of her. „Make yourself your own cup a’tea you lazy bugger!“

„Later“, He said.

Eric took his chin into his Hand „In fact they already did. They seemed way more ambitious, while the swim club was in the pool too.”

“To be honest, I’m quite curious whether they’ll be there next time or not.”

 

The Maizuru-College-Swim-Club since then became a solid part of the weekly exercises. On one Day of the week the students stayed after their training to participate. They thought it to be a challenge and a great opportunity. In their opinion, each of the Royal Marines was an excellent instructor. Especially Joe, AshB, Harrington-chui, Steve Touchings and Tony Sinclair. Tony was a special character. He was shorter than Eve, had a wiry muscular body and talked with the most dirty British accent the students had ever heard of. And he was black. Most remarkable was his endless seaming stamina and his patience of a saint.

 

It was the middle of November when the recruits were ready for the next level of their training: Diving. Not with a regulator and fins apparently, but with everything nature had provided them with. The students had never heard of the necessary breathing techniques and exercises before. And because it required a lot of practice to master this discipline they were limited to watching in this case.

First Lieutenant Harrington was standing with her clipboard at the deep side of the pool as usual. Luke Saulsbury stood in the background thumbing through the performance-sheets. Eric Wessels was standing next to one of the recruits in the pool and put a sinker-belt around his waist while Alan had already gone diving fully equipped.   

The remaining recruits stood next to the pool in a knot. The task was to hold one’s breath and walk one complete round on the ground of the pool. This usually took four to five minutes. One week ago, Joe had performed this exercise in about three and a half minutes. An adding difficulty was the deep side of the pool. For additional support, Steve Touchings had joined the instructors today. He watched everything from the head side of the hall where he had a clear view of everything.

„Ready?“ Eric asked the recruit who just nodded nervously and walked through the water to the starting point. A last deep breath and he went under the surface. The moment one of them had started, the next one jumped into the pool to get prepared for his underwater-stroll.

Some of them made it in the required amount of time. Others had to stop on the way and got rid of their belt so they were able to go back up. This exercise was also done with clothing. It occurred very rarely that Alan got the order to bring one of the young soldiers back up. The Instructors were usually able to tell from above, if the recruit would make it or not. Who got rid of the belt by himself hadn’t got the concept yet. The human body was able to endure a lot. Only the head had to go along. ‘The battle is decided in your head.’ That’s what the Royal Marines say.

The next one. The boy seemed nervous as he gave his OK for the time to be counted.

 „Too slow“, Saulsbury mumbled watching the recruit from above.

„S‘not gonna make it at this rate“, Wessels agreed. The other recruits watched their comrade curiously as he walked towards the deep side of the pool. The Moment he suddenly stopped and started to fumble his belt, it was clear that he wouldn’t make it. More and more messy bubbles were surfacing.

„Ok Bolton, get him out.“ Alan let the air out of his vest and swam to the boy to free him from the belt. An unusual amount of bubbles was suddenly vortexing the surface making the others unable to see what was going on down there. Something was wrong. It definitely took him to long. Then Alan surfaced with blown vest and without his Mask and moutpiece.

„Shit!“ A rattle attracted the audience’s attention. Nagisa watched the officer kicking her shoes off in the run and jumping into the pool. „Lieutenant!“

Steve Touchings took control and pulled one of the recruits out to get an ambulance.

It was as he had suspected. The boy had panicked and hadn’t been able to open the belt, so he had tried to get Alan’s mouthpiece.

Now he was lying unconscious on the ground of the pool. Eve opened his belt and pulled him up to the rim where Luke and Eric dragged him out and laid him down to check his vital functions.

Eve rested both hands on the rim and shored up. Surprised by a stinging pain in her lower back her arms buckled and she fell back into the water with a disillusioning splash.

The sensation of burning slowly spread across her back and her left leg. She paddled back to the rim and tried to shore up again swearing heavily. And again, and again. And again.

 Nagisa, Aiichiro and Momotaro had jumped up nearly at the same time and ran towards the other side of the pool to help.

„Eve!“ Touchings also had noticed something was wrong with his superior. He was way faster than the three students.

„Hold on, lass.“ The grey warrant officer took her arms and pulled her out of the water. On her left side a blood stain was slowly spreading across her white shirt. Like a wet laundry bag she fell to the ground and leaned to her arms breathing heavily. The wet uniform, almost transparent, stuck to her body like a second skin. With her spectacular jump, her hair pins must have fallen out what caused her long dark mane to fall over her shoulders, some strands stuck to her face.

With relief she heard the choking and puking of the recruit as he got rid of the water he had swallowed before.

„You’re good?“, Steve asked. He knelt next to her to support her. She nodded.

Luke rushed to her side. „Lieutenant, you’re bleeding.“

„Huh?“ She turned her head in surprise and discovered the blood stain. „Indeed. Is he all right?“

„Just swallowed a bit too much water.“ Luke helped her up. „We have to get you out. You need some medical care.“

„The only thing I need is a Drink.“ She protested, accepting his help. „Probably a cup’a tea afterwards.“

Back on her feet, she approached the recruit who was still lying on the floor gasping surrounded by his comrades. „Pull yourself together, Nishioka“, she said bleakly. „Get up.“

No reaction.

„I said, get up!“ She grabbed him roughly by his arm and pulled him up, his legs still buckling. He still showed no reaction. Angrily the officer threw the boy towards his comrades. „Get him out of my sight. And make sure he gets medical care!“  Bugged out she shoved her Hand through her hair which already had started to curl itself, that way she got rid of the strands in her face. „Let’s call it a day… The exercise is finished here. Dismissed.“

The recruits quickly left the hall. In the locker rooms the paramedics already rushed in and took care of the exhausted soldier. Due to the situation, Nitori thought it to be the best to send his team off too. He wanted to apologise afterwards and bid their farewell. Momotaro Mikoshiba and Nagisa Hazuki stayed inside the hall to wait for their captain. To Aiichiros surprise, the lieutenant approached him and bowed in front of him in Japanese manner before he was able to do something against it. Nagisa and Momo watched the scenery. Usually the instructors didn’t adhere to the typical polite forms of address. Her Injury and the steadily spreading blood stain she was still ignoring completely. The compromising state of her uniform didn’t seem to disturb her as well. The cinnamon tone of her skin and the wet once white fabric made it quite easy to see the form of her body which wasn’t inferior to her comrades at all.

„I beg your pardon for making you watch this drama.“ She said. Her dark hear already curled up, it took some of the severity off her face, making her look more like the human being she might be without the uniform.

Nitori obviously embarrassed by her act, pacifyingly waved his hands. „Oh no. Please don’t…“

 

„I also thank you for your solicitousness.“ She faced Momo and Nagisa who were standing in the background and bowed again. They also bowed and looked at each other afterwards. She must have noticed that they had had the intention to help her.

„I…Uhm…“

„You may go now“, she rescued him. Aiichiro Nitori bowed again and left the hall with his mates.

The moment the door closed, her legs buckled again and she sank to her knees.

„Eve, you need to see a doctor.“ Luke put his towel around her shoulders.

„I told you, I’m fine.“ Thankfully she pulled the towel closer. By degrees it got a bit chilly in the wet clothes. „And where is my drink by the way?“


	4. Chui-chan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear reader,  
> I am currently searching for a beta-reader since my english skills aren't perfect yet.  
> So, if you like my story and you would like to help me out in this matter, please contact me.  
> I would be glad, to hear/read from you soon.

„You shouldn’t have jumped into the water.“ She heard the sound of the stool upon which the doctor sat and the amphoric sound his instruments made inside the kidney basin on the table next to him.

“Should I have let the boy drown instead?” The physician kept silent and continued cleaning the wound on her back. Eve was lying face down on the pallet in the doctor’s room and endured the unpleasant procedure. The resident military physician, doctor Cancer, had immediately attended to her after the emergency treatment and the MRT-scanning. She had reported a temporary numbness of her back muscles and her legs during that incident.

Now he was attending to her wound properly by first cleaning it with a swab.

“How long?”, she asked and hissed through her teeth as he applied antiseptic ointment.

“About two months, I guess. Please sit up.” Eve did, as she was told and raised her arms, so the Doctor could finally attach the bandages. “I have to say, you are in excellent shape.”

She tentatively patted the bandage. “Well, I need to keep up with my troops somehow.” She said softly.

Doctor Cancer smirked and got rid of his gloves in a noisy way. “Change the bandages before you go to bed and again tomorrow evening. I’d like to check on that in three days. You may dress again.”

Eve reached out to her olive t-shirt hanging over a chair and put it on.

After a short knock one of the assistants came in and handed a folder to the physician. “Kani-hakase, the MRT-results for lieutenant Harrington.”, she said and vanished as quietly as she had entered. Meanwhile Eve had corrected her garments and sat now on the pallet full of expectation. The physician looked over the test results. Suddenly he stopped and first raised and then furrowed his brows before looking over to his patient with a serious expression.

Her entrails started to cramp in a bad apprehension. This look couldn’t possibly mean any good.

 

„So, what did the doctor say?“ Steve Touchings looked curiously over his desktop as his superior entered their office.

 „It’s nothing really.“ She threw her green beret on her desk and fell into the chair. „Just need some more time healing.“

Steve sighed. „What a relief. You got us really worried, lass.“ Eve smirked. In defiance of her being his superior now he still kept calling her Lassie. Like he did six years ago when he was her instructor during her basic training as a Royal Marine Commando. „Have you told the boys yet?“

„Not yet.“ She checked her mug, which was empty as she thought. She stood up and reached out for his. „Want some tea too?“

„Coffee please.“ He handed over his bashed up stainless steel mug.

 

„Ohayo, Chui-chan!“

„Oha…“ Eve Harrington paused and looked up from her newspaper. „Wait, what did you just call me?“

AshB bashfully scratched the back of his head. „Chui-chan. Not good?“

„For heaven’s sake, AshB, you can’t call your superior like that.“ Luke Saulsbury desisted of his cup of coffee.

The young warrant officer looked around. „Well I guess, you’re right. Eric firstly came up with it and I thought it would be actually kind ‘a cute.“

Steve rubbed the root of his nose. „Yeah, and that’s exactly the reason why you don’t…“

„Guys, wait“, Eve interrupted smiling. „Honestly, I don’t see a problem here.“ the answer to this was common astonishment. „Ya know, it’s just us here and I am calling you by pet names all the time like ‚sugar-pie‘ ‚honey-bee‘ and stuff. And you-„ She gave her grey eminence a look “-keep calling me Lass‘ like back in the good old days.“ Steve, being caught, focused back on the Newspaper. „So I guess there’s worse to deal with than ‚Chui-chan‘. As long as you only call me that in private.“

 

„Arigatou, Gou-chan.“ Nagisa thanked Gou for the chocolate-cake, she had brought him.

“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Kou?!”, the girl complained and returned to the kitchen. On some weekends and after school she worked for a couple of hours at the Izakaya to earn some additional pocket money. In the afternoon coffee, tea and sweets were served and at the evening they offered regional cuisine.

“I wonder if Harrington-san is already better.” Aiichiro stirred his cappuccino lost in thought.

„Harrington-san?“ On that name, Gou’s ears doubled in size and she sat next to her friends at the table. Fortunately there was nobody else currently in the restaurant, as usual at that time of the day and out of the season. „Who is Harrington?“ She already had heard of this name.

„-One of the British instructors at the navy base“, Nagisa mumbled between two bites of his little cake. They had already told about their trainings at the base and that they were allowed to join one of the soldiers’ trainings.

„You know each other?“, Ai asked curiously.

„Yes!“ Gou was lost in the memory of trained arm and chest muscles which tensioned the fabric of their clothing. „They spend their evenings here a lot. Unfortunately I haven’t seen much of their muscles yet, but what I’ve seen was marvellous.“ Aiichiro and Nagisa shared a look. „But I can’t remember one of them going by that name.“, Gou noticed, back to normal.

„Kawaii Harrington-chan…“ Momotaro’s dream of wet uniforms reached it’s end as his friend bashed her tray into his face. It was so annoying that he continuously fantasized about multiple women. But it still was better than him fantasizing about her herself. „ITAI!“ the redhead held his head. „Kou-chan, why?!“

She simply ignored him and turned to the others. „So, Harrington-san is a woman?“

Nagisa overly motivated scratched the leftover chocolate from the tiny plate. „Right. And she’s a soldier as well.“

„Really?“

„Yes“, Ai confirmed. „And her shape is as good as that of the other soldiers.“

Gou eyeballed him. „Really, Ai-kun? How do you know?“

At that allusion and the memory of the transparent uniform he couldn’t help but blush intensely. “N-not what you think.“ He looked down on the table. „One of the recruits went unconscious on the bottom of the pool and she brought him back up in no time.", he told veridical.

„That was amazing! She just jumped in and seconds later she was back with him.“

„Why did he pass out?“ Gou continued ignoring poor Momo.

Momo pouted. „Man, why is she ignoring me?!“

„The recruits have to hold their breath and walk one round at the bottom of the pool.“ Nagisa desisted of the dessert-plate.

„Sometimes they don’t make it“, Ai added finally.

Gou furrowed her brows. „But you mentioned, she wasn’t all right?“

„When she had brought the soldier back up, two other Instructors pulled him out of the pool. Afterwards she tried to get out but...she couldn’t.“ Nitori appeared to be depressed about it.

„She was wounded. That’s why she wasn’t able to get out alone. But I’m sure, she’s already well again.“ Nagisa patted his teammate‘s shoulder.

„Hey, Ai-chan…“ The usually cheerful blonde showed a serious expression. „Did that also remind you of something?“

As his mate fell silent, Nagisa knew he wasn’t the only one having a deja-vu at that time. He and Aiichiro had already seen something like this. It was just someone else back then who was desperately trying to exit the water without being able to do so.

„Oi, Rin.“ Sousuke opened his locker.

 „Huh?“ Rin pulled the towel from his head, which he had been using to dry his hair. He only wore the trousers of his uniform sitting on a bench adverse to the row of lockers.

They usually met before or after their shift to do some sports together. The Maizuru-Police-Department had its own gym for the officers to keep fit.

„What’s with this pendant, you’re steadily wearing of late?“ He handed a bottle of water to his colleague.

„Just a memory of Australia.“ He took the bottle and drank.

„And why out of a sudden?“

„I thought, I had lost it. Gou had found it while rummaging around my stuff again.“

Sousuke sat next to him and grabbed the pendant on the thin leather ribbon. „What is it?“

„Inside is the poison fang of a sea snake.“ Rin took it out of his friend’s hand and opened his own Locker to get dressed. His maroon hair was pulled back with a hair tie and he put on a blue short-sleeved button-up shirt with his rank and the police-emblems on it.

„Wouldn’t have a shark-tooth been more fitting for you?“, Sousuke joked.

Rin paused and studied his reflection which was curiously looking back at him from the mirror inside the locker. „Yeah, probably.“ He reached for his cap. „By the way, if you’re going to continue dawdling that way, we’ll be running late.“ Rin pointed at the towel which was still the only garment his colleague was currently wearing.


End file.
